Why I'm Not Like Moana

 

  If you have kids and you've had the opportunity to see Moana, My guess is, you've probably seen it many times. My kids and I loved watching it, although, the first and second time through, it seems really scary, but the novelty wears off and eventually the scary parts are like, "meh." My favorite part is the scene where the Tomatoa sings "Shiny". Every time we watch it, the kids all stop what they're doing, look at me, and then start to dance and sing at the top of their lungs. If I don't sing along with them, they look at me like I've sprouted a second head.

    I don't know if you know this, but Moana is kind of like magic. I have three kids, 7, 5, and 3. When they get into the car together, fighting is inevitable. One day, the kids couldn't stop arguing. Someone was always touching someone else and it was enough to make a mommy scream... Knowing me, I might have. Thankfully my husband had suggested that we order a couple of sound tracks, Moana being one of them. I pulled over the car, ripped off the wrapper, peeled the annoying stickers that are hard to get off, and popped the cd into the player. When we heard the first few notes of the music start to play, it was like the Sandman came and sprinkled some of his magic sand. The kids calmed down and listened the rest of the way to my errand. Talk about wow!


   

    There are so many things to like about the movie Moana; the music, the story, the colors, and Moana. For a teenager, she's spunky and smart. There are so many things about her that I would like to be, but I'm not like Moana.

    1. She's a leader- In the beginning we see her as she grows up and starts to train to be the next chief. She was born for that roll. In some ways, I probably could lead, but I think that I might feel it overwhelming and mess it up somehow.
    2. She is strong- I don't necessarily mean muscle strength, although she really is strong. What I mean is, her grandma passes away and yes, she wants to stay those last moments with her, but she realizes her grandma is right when she tells her that the best time to leave, to embark on her journey is now. She mourns for the grandma, but she pushes that aside to do what she still must do. She doesn't use the passing of her grandma get her out of her task. She doesn't user her grandma to make other's feel sorry for her and do her bidding. She instead holds onto her grandmother's memory because she knows that her grandma is always near.
    I couldn't even begin to imagine a world without my grandparents. The thought is just too sad. I hope that when they do pass, that I can move on. That I can continue to take care of my children and not mope around all day holding onto the pain.
    3. She's so brave- Over the years, and I think it has happened more since I've had children, I realize how breakable I am. I see danger in everything. Moana sails in an open ocean with no land in sight... ummm... that's not for me. She confronts a demi-god... again, I might be a little scared to do that. She faces large enemies and monsters. She might have been terrified, but she didn't let that show. I don't even like to walk down the path towards a lighthouse with my kids because there are no sides and I have a fear that one of them will fall off or I will.

    Many of the things that she does throughout the movie, mostly towards the end make me think that perhaps the ocean chose her because an adult would over think it and give up. Kids are amazing. They get an idea and they just go with it. It would be so amazing to have that child-like faith again- you know, within reason.





What did you think about the movie?